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DeMar DeRozan shares his mentality in crunchtime moments

"I'm not scared to fail. I want those moments more than anything."

Stephen Beslic

© Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
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While there are plenty of superstars in the NBA, what separates the Chicago Bulls’ DeMar DeRozan from the rest is his fearlessness when the game is on the line. When the game’s result hangs in the balance, the six-time All-Star exudes calm and fearlessness, embracing the pressure and thriving under it.

After leading the Bulls to a 132-129 overtime win over the Indiana Pacers, DeRozan shared his mentality in crunchtime moments, stating, “I'm not scared to fail. I'm not scared to try to make something happen.”

All up to DeRozan

With his fellow closer Coby White sidelined due to a hip injury he sustained late in the fourth, the Bulls’ fate lay in the hands of the USC product in the same building where he hit a one-legged three-pointer to down the Pacers in December 2021. And once again, DeRozan delivered in the clutch. 

He hit a tough fadeaway over TJ McConnell to force overtime and then, scored Chicago’s first eight points in the extra session to give them a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

DeRozan finished with a season-high 46 points.

“It's like a survival mode that kicks in in a fun way. I'm not scared to fail. I'm not scared to try to make something happen. I want those moments more than anything. It always reminds me of my childhood and doing the little fakedown, jumping on the bed and fake-shooting the shot. As a competitor, those moments are ones I relish,” DeRozan shared.

It’s never over until it’s over

Not only were the Bulls down one lethal scorer, but they also trailed 115-112 after the Pacers' big man canned consecutive triples with under a minute remaining in regulation. But Deebo was unfazed, unbothered, and undeterred.

“Me being a student of the game, I've seen the wildest outcomes. I always keep that in mind. Anything is possible. It's not over until the time runs out. Whenever we're in a situation like that, I always think of this could be another situation where something wild could happen in our favor and stick with it,” Deebo added.

DeMar DeRozan scores 46 as the Chicago Bulls outlast the Indiana Pacers in overtime, 132-129

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Stephen Beslic
STEPHEN BESLIC

Stephen Beslic is a writer on Sports Illustrated's FanNation Network. Stephen played basketball from the age of 10 and graduated from Faculty of Economic and Business in Zagreb, Croatia, majoring in Marketing.

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